Semi-automatic shutter for ventilators on submarines.



.c. LAURENTL' SEMI-AUTOMATIC SHUTTER FOR VENTILAIORS 0N SUBMARINES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. m7;

1, .2.34,915.4 I Patented July 31,1917;

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UNITED STATES PATENT v OFFICE.

CESAR'E LAURENTI, 0F 'IUIRIN, ITALY, ASSIG-NOR T0 SOCIETA FIAT-SAN GIORGIO, OF

SPEZIA, ITALY.

SEMI-AUTOIVIATIC SHUTTER FOR VENTILATORS ON SUBMARINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed April 14, 1917. Serial No. 162,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CEsARn LAURENTI, engineer, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Corso Dante 35, Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Semi-Automatic Shutters for Ventilators on Submarines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The present invention relates to a shutter or panel for the air pipes connecting the inside of submarine vessels with the outside, of a construction such as to allow its being opened or closed at will and at the same time apt to be automatically closed when the vessel plunges should the shutter have been left open through an oversight.

A practical form of my invention is shown on the annexed drawings wherein Figures 1 and 2 are elevation and plan views respectively of the door or shutter, and Figs. 3,. 4:, 5 and 6, and 7 show different positions of the same during the opening or closing operations.

The shutter or door 2 in pipe A is connected to same by means of the hinges 1 idle on the axle 3 supported by the bearings 5.

By means of the hand-wheel 8 the shaft of which is provided with the endless screw 7 gearing with the helicoidal wheel 6 on the axle 3, it is possible to give a movement of rotation to the said axle 3 which axle 3 is provided with blocks 4. carrying projections 10. When the axle 3 rotates the said projections 10 hit against the lower sideof the hinges 1 and the shutter is thereby pushed upward opening the pipe A. The lever 13 1 does not prevent said movement on account of its being made in one piece with the axle 3 and therefore rises before the lifting of the shutter 2 by the action of the projections 10. The rotation of the shutter 2 will be stopped only by the contact of the projections 11 of the hinges 1 against the corre sponding projections 9 of the bearings 5.

Fig. 3 shows the door closed and the lever 13 pressing on it in order to assure the good closing of the same. By operating the hand wheel 8, the lever 13 is lifted and the shutter 2 remains closed until the projectionslO hit against the hinges 1 (see Fig. 4) by actuatmg further the shaft carrying the projection 10 the shutter 2 opens until the pro ections 11 hit against the projections 9, and in this position (see Fig. 5) the door can remain open. Then by operating the hand-wheel 8 in the opposite direction the lever 13 can be brought into contact with the door 2 (see Fig. 6) without any displacement of the latter. Should the vessel plunge with the door open in said position, the force of the water acting on the door can shut it (see Fig. 7) because nothing interferes with its closing. The tight closing can be assured from inside by operating the hand-wheel 8 and causing the arm 13 to bear on the shutter and press same as explained.

What I claim is:

1. A semiautomatic shutter or door for submarine vessels of a construction such as to permit of its being closed or opened from the inside, but provided with hinges which are partly independent from the opening and closing control-means so as to allow the automatic closing of the shutter by the plunging of the vessel.

2. A semi-automatic shutter or door for submarine vessels, said shutter being idly movable between its open and closed positions, and means for opening and closing said shutter, comprising a part operable to move said shutter, to a closed position, and a part adapted to move said shutter to an open position, said opening and closing means having such a relation to the shutter in open position that the shutter can move freely to its closed position, without hindrance by said opening part, whereby said shutter may be automatically closed by the force of the water encountered when the vessel plunges.

3. A semi-automatic shutter or door for submarine vessels, hinges on which said shutter is idly movable, a rotatable shaft, a projection on said shaft adapted to contact with closed positions, whereby said shutter may 7 said shutter to open the same, and an'arm be automatically closed by the force of the on said shaft adapted to close said shutter, Water encountered when the vessel plunges.

the angular spacing of said projection and In Witness Whereof,I have hereunto signed 10 5 arm being such that said shutter may have my name.

an idle movement between its open and ING. CESARE LAURENTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, washington, 2D. 0. 

